Images of Koyuki Higashi’s childhood came back to her in flashes. She was almost always in the bathroom; sometimes she caught a glimpse of the stool she used to sit on while taking a shower, other times she saw her father and her, bathing ...

The sound of giggling fills a room at Kodomo no Ie, a children’s institution in northern Tokyo, as a group of half a dozen girls work on their homework while waiting for dinner to be served. It’s the same situation that is typically played ...

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He has a big red nose, two rosy cheeks and an edible head that is regularly rebaked in his uncle’s oven. Yes, it’s Anpanman, one of Japan’s most iconic anime characters, whose heroic antics have seduced generations of children over the past three decades. ...

We admit we are powerless over alcohol and we need help to break the habit. We will participate in meetings and speak frankly about ourselves. We will reflect on our mistakes and accept the damage that alcohol has caused. We will strive to change ...

Yumiko Miyata started drinking when she was 15. She was an inherently shy girl and found that alcohol helped her make friends. When people discovered she could hold her liquor, she then became the center of attention. At first she thought it was harmless ...

Some kid shot up a dose again tonight Pushed back by his other self Even if you were to buy your dream You need self-control No one talks about hopes and dreams All that’s there is something better, something new, a better way The ...

You won’t find an air conditioner in any inmate wings at Fuchu Prison, no matter how hot it is outside. And on this sweltering, cloudless day in August, it is certainly hot. Two members from Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center (DARC) are preparing to hold ...

Held twice a year and famous among otaku (fanboys and fangirls) the world over, Comiket, short for Comic Market, held its 86th event Aug. 15-17 at Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba. With more than 550,000 people reportedly attending the event over the three days, ...

It shouldn’t be hard to kill skinny jeans. After all, women love and loathe them in equal measure. Three years ago, clothing merchants tried to snuff out the trend with flares. Now, chains — from mass market Gap Inc. to luxury-leaning Bloomingdale’s — are ...

Following on from the popularity of “cat cafes,” where customers can play with resident felines while relaxing and having a cup of coffee, similar venues offering the chance to mingle with rabbits, goats and even owls have opened for business in the Tokyo area. ...